Quick-action vise having wedged rollers for locking movable jaw assembly



J- S. ADAMS Jan. 18, 1955 2,699,698 QUICK-ACTION VISE HAVING WEDGEDROLLERS FOR LOCKING MOVABLE JAW ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4,1954 INVENTOR, win

BY t w ATTU R N EYS N Jan. 18, 1955 J. s. ADAMS 2,699,698

QUICK-ACTION VISE HAVING WEDGED ROLLERS FOR LOCKING MOVABLE JAW ASSEMBLYFiled March 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTION. c/bfiz Aama my imwUnited States Patent ()fiice 2,699,698 Patented Jan. 18, 1955QUICK-ACTION VISE HAVING WEDGED ROLLERS FOR LOCKING MOVABLE 'JAWASSEMBLY This invention relates to a vise, to a vise which may be usedwith The object of the invention is to provide a drill vise whichembodies a base having a stationary jaw and a trackway, and a movablejaw assembly that can be quickly moved to any desired position alongsaid trackway, said assembly having means for locking it in saidposition, so that said movable jaw can then be advanced to clamp aworkpiece, and said locking means including a wedge block and rollers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide said movable jawassembly with a swingable handle which, when held raised, can be used toshift said assembly along said trackway and which, when being lowered,will sequentially actuate said locking means and advance saidmovablejaw.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drill vise which isextremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhichlike numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the vise, constructed according to thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the vise.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the position of theparts when the vise is in locked position.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the vise with the plates removed.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the rollers.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the wedge block.

igure 8 is a perspective view of one of the actuating P1118.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the movable block that carries themovable jaw.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the handle showing thelinks attached thereto.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 19 designates a base,and secured to the upper surface of the base 10 is a pair oflongitudinally extending spaced parallel bars 11, Figures 2 and 5. Thebars 11 may be secured to the base 10 in any suitable manner, as forexample by means of the securing elements or bolts 12. The heads of thebolts 12 are arranged below the lower surface of the base 10 to providesupporting feet. The pair of bars 11 are spaced apart to define atrackway 14 therebetween for a purpose to be later described.

Secured to the upper surface of each of the bars 11 is a plate 15. Theplates 15 are secured to the bars 11 in any suitable manner, as forexample by bolts or screws 16, Figure l, and suitable threaded openings13 may be provided in the bars 11, Figure 5, whereby the bolts 16 can bethreaded through the plates 15 and into the openings 13. The innerportions of the plates 15 overlap or extend beyond the inner edges ofthe bars 11 as shown in Figure 2, and the pair of plates 15 definetherebetween a channel 17.

Extending transversely across the ends of the bars 11 is a fixed orstationary jaw 18, Figures 3 and 4. The jaw 18 may be secured to thebars 11 in any suitable manner, as for example by suitable bolts.Reciprocably or slidably mounted in the trackway 14 is a block 19,Figure 9. Secured to the block 19 and projecting upand more particularlya drill press.

. that extends through apertures 43 in wardly therefrom is a jaw 20, theblock and jaw being mounted for movement towards and away from the fixedjaw 18. The jaws 18 and 20 are adapted to clamp therebetween a workpiece 21, Figure 4, and the work piece 21 may be worked on in anysuitable manner, as for example by means of a drill press. The block 19has a greater width than the channel 17 so that the block 19 will beretained between the bars 11 as it moves back and forth in the trackway14. The jaw 20 projects through the channel 17, and a portion of theblock 19 is cut out as at 21. This cutout 21 defines a pair of spacedparallel ears 22 which are each provided with an aperture 23, Figure 9.The free ends of the ears 22 are rounded or shaped arcuately as at 24. Apivot pin 25 extends through the apertures 23 and through an end of ahandle 26, the handle 26 having a portion thereof positioned in thecutout 21 between the ears 22.

The vise of the present invention further includes a Wedge block 27,Figure 7. The wedge block 27 is provided with a pair of spaced parallelrecesses 28. Slid ably or telescopically positioned in each of therecesses 28 is a plunger 29. A coil spring 30 is positioned in eachrecess 28 in engagement with each plunger 29, and the coil springs 30serve to normally bias or urge the plungers 29 outwardly of the recesses28 so that the plungers 29 will engage rollers 31.

Wedge block 27 is further provided with a pair of apertures 32, andslidably positioned in each aperture 32 is a pin 33 which is providedwith a cutout portion 34, Figure 8. The pins 33 each have an endabutting the rollers 31, while the other end of the pin 33 is arrangedcontiguous to the rounded end 24 of the ear 22. The wedge block 27 isfurther provided with a pair of cutouts or notches 35, and each notch 35defines an inclined carn surface 36. Thus, at times the rollers 31 willbe wedged between the cam surfaces 36 and the inner surfaces of the bars11 so that movement of the law 20 away from the jaw 18 will be preventedwhen the handle 26 is in downward or depressed position.

The undersurface of the handle 26 is provided with a cutout or recessedportion 37 which provides sufiicient clearance to permit the handle 26to be moved from the position shown in Figure 3 down to the positionshown in Figure 4, the latter showing recessed portion 37 as overlying asleeve 38 that is mounted on a pivot pin 39 the wedge block 27. Eachlink 40 of a pair of links has one end pivotally connected to the pin39, and has its other end pivotally connected to the handle 26 throughthe medium of a pivot pin 41. A pair of clips 42 are provided formaintaining the links 40 in their proper assembled position, the clips42 having offset portions to provide suilicient clearance for the links40. The cutout portions 34 in the pins 33 provide suflicient clearancefor the clips 42 as shown in Figure 1. For retaining the springs 30 inthe recesses 28, a stop plate 44 is secured to the rear end of the wedgeblock 27 by a suitable securing element such as the screw or bolt 45.

In use when the handle 26 is in raised position, as shown in Figure 3,the block 19, the handle 26, and the wedge block 27 can be slid as aunit towards or away from the stationary jaw 18. Thus, if a work piece21 (see Figure 4) is to be clamped in the vise, it is only necessary tomanually raise the handle 26 and slide the parts along the trackway 14until the work piece contacts both jaws 20 and 18. Then, to sequentiallylock the wedge block 27 in its adjusted position and move the jaw 20into clamping position, it is only necessary to manually depress thehandle 26 so that the handle 26 moves from the position shown in Figure3 to the position shown in Figure 4. Initially, such movement of thehandle 26 separates the blocks 19 and 27 enough to permit the springs 30to move the plungers 29, the rollers 31 and the pins 33 forwardly, sothat the rollers 31 become wedged between the inclined cam surfaces 36and the inner surfaces of the bars 11, the spring pressed plungers 29serving to urge or maintain the rollers 31 in such locked positions.Since any tendency of the wedge block 27 to move away from the jaw 18will result in an even greater wedging action between the rollers 31 andthe inclined surfaces 36 and the inner surfaces of the bars 11, anyfurther downward movement of the handle 26 will slide the block 19 awayfrom the locked wedge 27, and thus cause the jaw 20 to clamp theworkpiece 21, as, shown in Figure 4.

To. release either the workpiece 21 or the jaw-block, handleand'wedge-block assembly, it is only necessary'to manually raise orpivot'the'handle 26 from the position shown in Figure 4'to the positionshown in Figure 3 Whereby the upwardmovement of the handle'26" will movethe block 19 toward the locked wedge block 27 so that the rounded ends24 of theears 22 will contact the adjacent ends of the pins 33 and willthen move thepins 33 and the. rollers 31 rearwardly until the rollers31. become released from their wedged positions between the surfaces 36and the inner surfaces of the .bars 11; As'long as the handle 26 is inits raised'position, the rounded ends'24 of the cars 22 maintainpressure on the pins 33 and hence, on the rollers 31, so that the lattercannot assume their locking positions. the springs 30are depressed intherecesses 28, and the jaw-block, handle and wedge-block.assemblyare freeto slide along the tracltway and channel 17. However, the first portionof the down-stroke of the handle causes the wedge block 27 to becomelocked in'the trackway, because the backwardly directed pressureon thepins is released, so that the spring pressed plungers 29 can move therollers 31 into their locking or wedged'positions, the forwardlydirected pressure of the springs 30 maintaining the rollers 31 in suchlocking positions. The vise of the present invention can be madeportable or'else it can be anchored to any suitable structure.

While the vise of the. present invention may be used particularly as adrill vise, it may also be used with variousv types of machinery forvarious operations.

I claim:

1. in a vise, a base, a pair of spaced parallel bars ex tending alongthe longitudinal side edges of said base and secured thereto, said barsdefining a trackway therebetween, a first stationary jaw extendingtransversely across an end of said bars and secured thereto, a platesecured to the upper surface of each of said bars, the inner portions ofsaid plates extending beyond the inner edges of said bars, said platesdefining a channel therebetween, said channel being of less widththansaid'trackway, a block slidably positioned in said trackway andprovided with a cutout in one end defining a pair of spaced parallelap'ertured ears, a second jaw projecting upwardly from said block andsecured thereto, said second jaw projecting through said channel andbeing mounted for movement towards and away from said first jaw, a wedgeblock movably mounted in said trackway and spaced from said jawmountingblock, said wedge block being provided with a apair of opposed notchesdefining a pair of inclined cam surfaces, a roller arranged contiguousto each of said cam surfaces, there being a pair of recesses in' saidwedge block, a plunger reciprocably arranged ineach of said recesses andabutting said rollers, resilient means for urging said plungers out ofsaid recesses and into engagement Thus whenthe handle26 is elevated,'

4, with said rollers, the free ends of said ears being rounded, therebeing a pair of apertures in said wedge block, a pair of spaced parallelpins slidably mounted in said apertures and having their front endsarranged contiguous to the rounded ends of said ears and the rear endsof said pins arranged contiguous to said rollers, and manually operablemeans for releasing and "locking said second jaw.

2. The apparatus as described in claim l, wherein said manually operablemeans comprises a handlerprojecting through said channel and having itsfront end positioned in the cutout in said jaw-mounting block betweensaid ears, a pin pivotally connecting said handle tosaid ears, and apair of links each having one end pivotally connected to said wedgeblock and their other ends pivotally connected to said handle.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said resilient meanscomprises a. coil spring positioned in each recess and engaging saidplunger, and a plate for maintaining said coil springs in said recesses;

4. In a vise, abase, a-pair ofbars extending along the longitudinal sideedges of said-base and secured thereto, said bars defining a trackwaytherebetween, afirststationary jaw extending across anend of saidbarsand. secured thereto, a plate secured to ea'chof said bars, the'innerportions of said plates extending beyond the inner edges of said bars,said plates defining a channelthereb'etween, said channel being oflesswidth than-saidtrac-kway, a block slidably positioned insaid-trackway and provided with acutout in-one end-defininga pair ofapertured cars, a second jaw projecting upwardly. from said block andsecured thereto, saidsecond jaw projecting through said channel'andbeing mounted for movement towards and away from said first jaw,a-wed'ge block-movably -mounted in said trackway and spaced from saidjaw-mounting block, said Wedge block beingprovided with a pair ofnotches defining a pair of cam surfaces, a roller arranged contiguous toeach of said cam surfaces, there being a pair of recesses in-said wedgeblock, a' plunger reciprocably arranged in each of said recesses-andabutting said rollers,

resilient means for urging said plungers out of said recesses and intoengagement with said rollers, the free ends of said ears being rounded;there beingapair of apertures in said wedge block, a=pair of pinsslidably mounted in said apertures and having their front ends arrangedcontiguous to the rounded ends of said'ears and the rear ends of saidpins being arranged contiguous to said'rollers, and manually operablemeans for releasing and'locking said second jaw.

References Cited in the file of :this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS-Williams July 14, 1953

